The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-02-02
Mr.. Randalrs Democracy.

The Vicksburg Post, along with a great
deal of irrelevant matter, acknowledges
that it made mistake in chasing Col |
Percy as Sam Randall Democrat, when |
it ought to have said that he is 'loyal, |
conscientious Democ rat"
Our respected contemporary affects to
find some comfort in the fact that Col |
Percy "did not approve of the Morrison
horizontal tariff reduction bill" in which
he had the concurrence of TIE CLARION
and many distinguished loyal and con-
scientious Democrats. From this the
conclusion is drawn that had Col. Percy
been in Congress he would have voted
with Mr.. Randall and his Republican
coadjutors against the great bulk of the
Democratic party.
If the GreenvilIe Times speaks author
itatively, and the Post has "no doubt
that such is the case" Col. Percy is on
record as disappearing "the Pennsyl-
vania Congressman's prevention of
party caucus to settle the party differ
ences upon the tariff and revenue ques-
tiOns." That looks as if Col. Percy
were willing to be bound by the views
of the majority of his party and would
have favored caucus to ascertain them.
Mr.. Randall is no such Democrat. He
prefers rather to be bound by the views
of his Republican allies.
The chief objection urged against the
Morrison horizontal bill by Democrats,
was that it preserved the inequalities
and iniquities of the tariff; but for that
very reason it should have commended
itself to Mr.. Randall and his followers,
for every act of theirs has shown that
that is exactly what they desire to do.
The bill was not satisfactory to Mr..
Morrison himself, but he saw the great
need of reducing the tariff, admitted
now by all, and he hoped that by pre-
serving the protective features of the
tariff, which horizontal reduction
would most certainly do, he could rely
upon the support of moderate protec-
tionists In this he was mistaken.
| But the sum of Mr.. Randalls sins
against the Democratic party and against
the people is not found in his action in
voting with the Republicans against the
ton bill. That was bad enough. But
since then he has persistently refused to
comply with the promises made in the
Democratic platform adopted at Chi
cago. That was understood to be a
compromise platform on which all Dem
ocrats could conscjentiously stand. 1t
was not what every body wanted, but it
was what, in the interest of harmony,
any self-respecting person could support.
This platform, the Post seems to think,
was forced on the Convention by Mr..
Randall, aided by Col. Percy and other
members of the Committee on Resolu-
tons who refused to vote for Mr.. Nor
rison as the Chairman of the Commit
tee. For the same reason that Col.
Percy voted against Mr. Morrison he
probably would have voted against Mr..
Randall. He thought it unwise and
impolitic to transfer to the Convention
the unfortunate differences existing be-
tween these gentlemen in the Congress.
At all events Mr.. Morrison was eventu-
ally selected 10 make the Committed
report and did make it. Mr.. Morrison
and Col. Percy stand by the report; Mr..
Randall persistently and obstinately re-
fuses to do so. Under such circumstan-
cas- to class Col. Percy or any other
'loyal conscientious Democrat" as "a
Sam Randall Democrat" is an injustice.
Mr. Randall is a Protectionist of the
extreme type. There are few like him
in this part of the country except they
be Republicans and so-called Democrats
persons who vote the Democratic
ticket under protest; who preferred the
election of Blaine to Cleveland though
they voted for the latter, and who
would again prefer Blaine to Cleveland
should they be opposing candidates in
1883.
So the Post will see that it is serious
matter to call loyal, conscientious
Democrat a Sam Randall Democrat,
without qualification.